Coffee & Regrets

A band that maybe does warrant an introduction, at least in many regions and circles, Next Time Passions formed in Athens, Greece, in the early 90s, when they released what became their signature song, "Not Here Anymore." A group steeped in the sounds of 80s Britain, ranging from jangly, Smiths-informed indie pop to lusher, tuneful, Cure-like post-punk, as well as broader influences such as psychedelia, classic indie pop, and dance-rock, they broke up in the mid-90s before releasing an album. They eventually reunited and made their full-length debut in 2011 with Things Left on Stripes of Time. Arriving after another hiatus, their second album and Shelflife label debut, Coffee & Regrets, combines five new songs with their excellent indie pop-leaning 2017 EP (Another Wish), and an updated recording of "Not Here Anymore." Tied together by a lead singer with a nasal, Robyn Hitchcock-like delivery, the set encompasses these different points in their career seamlessly, thanks also to songwriting that rises to the level of a veteran 80s band that never stopped. That Smiths-ian jangle is perhaps served up best on the bouncy "Not Here Anymore," a song underscored by shimmery synths and featuring surf-like, pitch-bending attacks for dramatic emphasis. On the gloomier, post-punk end of the spectrum are songs like "Curved on Ice" and the trippier "Crystal Drum," although Next Time Passions are nothing if not hooky. Other highlights include the summery bop "Win the Universe" ("Youve got the summer in your heart") and the more striding "Beast Inside," two of several earworms to be found here. Playing more like a collection than it actually is, Coffee & Regrets serves as a first-rate introduction to a band with disappointingly little other material to discover. ~ Marcy Donelson